DELAWARE & PENNSYLVANIA AUTO REPAIR

4 Easy Ways You Can Take Charge of Your Vehicle’s Health Now is the best time to get caught up on auto repair. Think about it—summer is approaching fast! You want to spend your summer on vacation, not in the repair shop! It’s time to prioritize where you want to spend your time and money. If you haven’t already booked summer plans, you’re probably starting to. Are you taking your car on vacation? If the answer is yes, making sure your vehicle is ready for the road is step one to a seamless vacation experience. Here are four ways you can take charge of your vehicle’s health—not just during this season, but year-round! 1. Be Proactive with Preventative Maintenance   Stay on top of your oil changes, tire rotations, fluid services, and other regular maintenance your vehicle needs to perform at its best. Our service team will work with you to create a maintenance schedule based on the needs of your specific vehicle. We a ... read more

6 Ways You Can Avoid Auto Repair Shop Anxiety Does bringing your vehicle to an auto repair shop make you nervous? Maybe you've had bad experiences with auto repair service in the past, like a faulty repair or a complete rip-off. Most people have at least one poor service experience that made them never want to return to that shop.  If you're bring business to an auto repair shop, you should never feel belittled or anxious. Poor customer service is the most telling sign of a company's priorities and intentions. The good news is, there's more than a few steps you can take to ensure you and your vehicle receive the best service possible. 1. Stay on top of your vehicle’s maintenance. If there’s one thing that will save you time and stress, it’s knowing your vehicle and its maintenance schedule. No, you don’t need to be a mechanic (we have plenty of those!) but it’s basic knowledge like knowing how often you ... read more

Drive Safe This Holiday With Campanella's 5-Point Winter Car Maintenance Checklist Does cold weather make you lose tire pressure? What about brake performance? If these are concerns you have about your vehicle this winter, you’re in the right place. Your car deserves a nice holiday, too! Having a reliable vehicle during the winter months provides peace of mind and a relaxing holiday season. Poor maintenance has a negative impact on vehicle performance in cold and snowy weather. Here are five common car concerns during winter months and what you can do to prevent them: 1. Coolant System Coolant prevents your engine from freezing in the winter and overheating in the summer. It cools down your engine and operates your heating system. Any blockage in your coolant will prevent heat from working—during the cold months, this is not ideal! Did you know? Our technicians at Paul Campanella’s Auto & ... read more

The cost of brake repair depends on several factors: vehicle make and model, parts cost, labor fee, and necessary repairs. While the average cost for a full brake repair ranges from $400 to $700, these factors do not guarantee a fixed price. Your vehicle’s make and model plays a major role in determining the price of its various parts. Ceramic brakes, for example, cost more than semi-metallic brakes—but also tend to last longer. High-end vehicles that use higher quality material usually have more expensive parts. The cost of parts is determined by the manufacturer and varies depending on the vehicle make and model. At Paul Campanella’s Auto & Tire Center, we use trusted third-party suppliers to order parts. If the third-party does not have the right part, we will order from the OEM, or original equipment manufacturer. Because they are more expensive, we only resort to OEM if none of our suppliers have the part your vehicle needs. The cost of a brake job also depen ... read more

How much rust is too much rust? For most standard vehicles, brake rotors are made of cast-iron or steel, both of which rust when exposed to moisture. It’s inevitable that brakes will gather a little rust from being exposed to the elements. Light rusting is nothing to sweat over if its formation is supervised. If you’re worried about rust forming on your brakes, it’s easy to clean or request that your auto technician wipe it off when inspecting your vehicle. If your brakes are not performing at top speed, bring your vehicle into your local auto repair shop so they can assess the issue. Problems arise when rust builds up around the area where the brake pads touch the rotor. Rust reduces friction between the rotor disc and pads, causing the vehicle to wobble and shake when braking. If left alone, rust builds up on the outside of the brake pads’ path. This rust ring may cause your vehicle to shake and take longer to brake. Besides rust, small holes or "pits&qu ... read more

Brake failure is attributed to numerous factors, almost all of which trickle down to improper brake maintenance. Like any system in your vehicle, your brakes will fail if you do not follow a recommended maintenance schedule. The frequency at which you replace your brakes will vary according to vehicle usage. Always remember to ask your local auto repair shop for their personalized recommendation when it comes to vehicle maintenance. 1. Brake fluid A big factor that plays into your vehicle’s brake health is the brake fluid. This hydraulic fluid generates pressure needed to stop your vehicle effectively. If there’s a leak in the reservoir or if the brake fluid becomes contaminated, your brake system will start to degrade and eventually fail. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you are changing your vehicle’s fluid systems routinely. While the general recommendation for a brake fluid flush is every 2 to 5 years or 30,000 miles, each vehicle is ... read more

Why are my brakes smoking? The smell of burning can be scary when you're driving, and you start to notice it. Only to then find out that smoke is coming into your car. Many times, your brakes are to blame. If your brakes start to smoke, it is best to stop driving until the problem is fixed. Some of the most common causes and some things to look for if your brakes start to smoke are explained below. Stuck Brake Pads As time goes on, your brakes will get dirty with brake dust and corrosion. This is because they are exposed to the weather. Buildup of dust can make your brake pads stick to your disc. People who have this happen cannot move the brakes or the wheel can't move freely. The friction causes a lot of heat that does not need to be there, which often causes a b ... read more

Why is my Car Pulling to the Side? If your car is pulling to the side, it is a pretty good indication of a Problem with your Car’s Suspension System. This Pulling can be attributed to many things including Uneven Tire Pressure, Uneven Tire Wear, Poor Alignment, or a Sticking Brake Caliper. Driving over a pothole or up on a curb may break your Control Arm, and alter the Alignment of your Vehicle. While it’s generally not hard to realize the ... read more

What causes my Disc Brakes to get Stuck? Having a Broken Disc Assembly means the vehicle won’t move or will create an excessive amount of Heat Damaging multiple components of your Vehicle. You may see Poor Acceleration or braking, the Vehicle Pulls to one side or an increase in fuel consumption. 1. Applies to the Brake Pads and Carrier but doesn’t apply to all Carrier Assemblies. The slots where the Brake Pads sit can become filled with Road Debris or Rust, in the end making the Brake Pads Stick. When Brakes are applied, they can force the Pads against the Rotor which is unable to release in the end. 2. The Caliper Piston may become caught in the Caliper Casting. This is caused by a buildup of Road Debris or Corrosion usually caused by a Failing Boot. Another reason can be caused by applying the Brak ... read more

Four Common Car Noises and What they Mean When turning on your car, you hear a loud squeal. When turning the corner, you hear clicks coming from your steering wheel. Let’s dive-into the four most common car noises and what they mean. #1: Squealing noise coming from the engine area after turning on the car. Commonly caused by a worn-out serpentine belt that is slipping on the metal pulleys inside the engine. This belt is important because it helps power devices such as your alternator, starter, water pump, air conditioning compressor and radiator fan. Most of the time the belt can be readjusted, and the problem can be fixed. While other times the belt just needs to be replaced. #2. High-pitched squealing while braking Another common car noise comes from your brake system. High-pitched squealing while applying your brakes can point to worn out brake pads that need to be replaced. The more metallic the sque ... read more